Now, decades after I first discovered them, Aickman’s stories remain among the most haunting stories I have ever read.

Last November at the World Fantasy Convention, I had the opportunity to take part in a panel discussion of Aickman’s stories. Along the way, I shared my thoughts on the Freudian and Jungian aspects of “The Swords” and “The Inner Room” –tales that roil with undercurrents of sexual tension and painful longing.

Following the panel, I was approached by Dark Discoveries editor Aaron J. French, who asked if I would be interested in expanding the comments for an edition of his magazine to center on the theme “Sinister Appetites.” I didn’t need to think twice about that one.

A copy of that “Sinister Appetites” issue arrived today, and it’s a beauty, with fiction by Scott Edelman and Storm Constantine, features by John Palisano and Joe McKinney, columns by Yvonne Navarro and Gary A. Braunbeck — and lots more great stuff by some of the top names in the field. I’m delighted to be a part of it all.

Print and digital copies of the magazine are available from the good people at JournalStone Publishing, who also produce an impressive line of books.